North and South Korea exchanged machine-gun fire across their heavily fortified border yesterday, even as signs emerged that the North might return to talks to end the crisis over the Communist state's nuclear ambitions. more

German prosecutors have established no grounds to charge a former US marine with intent to sexually abuse a 12-year-old British girl he fled to France with last weekend, a spokeswoman said yesterday. more

Carlton coach Denis Pagan has defended his decision to order a gruelling mid-week match practice session after it was revealed that Lance Whitnall would miss the rest of the season with a strained medial ligament. more

A certain amount of theatre is part of strike meetings, but yesterday it was laid on thick as more than 200 actors from shows including Neighbours, Blue Heelers, Stingers, and MDA stopped work over pay and conditions. more

The Australian Stock Exchange is investigating suspicions of insider trading after shares in Australian icon Yates soared 53 per cent in the lead-up to yesterday's announcement that the group was in talks to sell its core gardening business. more

Melbourne International Film Festival Director James Hewison gave us a festival overview with highlights from the Iranian film Ten and the Australian film, Japanese Story, that opens the festival on July 23.
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Odd Spot
A US judge has dropped aggravated assault and burglary
charges against a man after
psychologists agreed the episode
was provoked by excessive con
sumption of jasmine tea, causing
him to dream of biblical struggles
between good and evil.
More